As
Hell has various levels, in some of which the torment and horror
is greater than in others, so the people of Hell will be given
different levels of punishment. According to a hadith narrated by
Muslim and Ahmad from Samurah, the Prophet (saw) said, concerning
the people of Hell:

"There are
some whom the Fire will take up to their ankles, others up to
their knees, others up to their waists, and others up to their
collarbones". According to another report, "up to their
necks" (Muslim in Kitaab al-Jannah wa Sifaat
Na'imihaa, Baab Shiddat Harr an-Naar, 4/2185)

The Messenger
of Allaah (saw) has told us about those who will receive the
lightest punishment in Hell. al-Bukhaari reports from al-Nu'maan
ibn Basheer who said:

"I heard the Messenger of Allaah
(saw) say, "The person who will have the least punishment
among the people of Hell on the Day of Resurrection will be a man
under the arch of whose feet will be placed a smouldering ember,
and his brains will boil because of it."

In
another report also narrated by al-Bukhaari from an-Nu'maan ibn
Basheer, the Prophet (saw) said, "The person who will have
the least punishment among the people of Hell on the Day of
Resurrection will be a man under the arch of whose feet will be
placed two smouldering embers, because of which his brains will
boil like water boils in a mirjal [copper vessel] or qumqum
[narrow-necked vessel]." (al-Bukhaari in Sahih, Kitaab
ar-Raqaaq, Baab Sifaat al-Jannah wan-Naar, Fath al-Baari, 11/417,
and Muslim in his Sahih, Kitaab al-Imaan, 1/196, no.
363)

According to a report narrated from an-Nu'man ibn
Basheer by Muslim, the Prophet (Saw) said: The person who will
have the least punishment among the people of Hell on the Day of
Resurrection is a man who will be given shoes and laces of fire,
because of which his brains will boil like water in a mirjal
(copper vessel). He will ot think that anyone could be more
severely punished than himself, yet he will be the one with the
lightest punishment". (Sahih Muslim, Kitaab al-Imaan,
1/196, no. 364; Muslim also reports from Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri in
the same chapter, no. 361)

al-Bukhaari and Muslim both
narrate from Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri that he heard the Messenger of
Allaah (saw) say, when his uncle Abu Taalib was mentioned: "Maybe
my intercession will help him on the Day of Resurrection, so that
he may be put in a shallow part of Hell, with fire reaching to his
ankles and causing his brain to boil". (al-Bukhaari in
Kitaab ar-Riqaaq, Baab Sifaat al-Jannah wan-Naar, Fath al-Baari,
11/417 and Muslim in Kitaab al-Imaam, Baab Shifa'at an-Nabi (saw),
'Ali ibn Abi Taalib, 1/195, hadith no. 360)

Many aayaat
confirm the different levels of punishment that will be given to
the people of Hell:

"The hypocrites will be in the
lowest depths of the Fire.." (4:145)

"..and
[the Sentence will be] on the Day that Judgement will be
established [it will be said to the angels]: "Cast the people
of Pharaoh into the severest Penalty!" (40:46)

"Those
who reject Allaah and hinder [men] from the Path of Allaah, for
them will We add penalty to penalty, for that they used to spread
mischief [or corruption]". (16:88)

al-Qurtubi
said, "This topic indicates that the kufr of the person who
simply disbelieves is not like the kufr of a person who oppresses,
disbelieves, rebels and disobeys. There is no doubt that the
kuffaar will suffer different levels of punishment in hell, as is
known from Qur'aan and Sunnah. We know for certain that the
punishment of those who oppressed and killed the Prophets and
Muslims, and spread corruption and disbelief on earth, will not be
the same as the punishment of those who simply disbelieved, but
treated the Prophets and Muslims well. Do you not see Abu Taalib,
how the Prophet (Saw) will bring him up to a shallow level of
Hell, because he helped him, protected him and treated him well?
The hadith narrated by Muslim from Samurah may be interpreted as
referring to the kuffaar, as there is a hadith about Abu Taalib,
or it may be interpreted as referring to those monotheists who
will be punished". (at-Tadhkirah, p. 409)

Ibn Rajab
said, "Know that the different levels of punishment
suffered by the people of Hell will be according to the levels of
their deeds for which they entered Hell". Then he quotes
the evidence for that, such as the words of Ibn 'Abbaas, "The
punishment of those who were extreme in their disbelief and spread
corruption on earth, calling others to kufr, will not be like the
punishment of those who did not do such things". Then Ibn
Rajab says, "Similarly, the punishments of the monotheists in
Hell will be at different levels, according to their deeds. The
punishment of those who were guilty of major sins (kabaa'ir) will
not be like that of those who were guilty of minor
sins(saghaa'ir). The punishment may be reduced for some of them
because of other good deeds, or for whatever reason Allaah (swt)
wills. Hence some of them may die in the Fire". (at Takhweef
min an-Naar, p. 142-143)

Our
Lord! Grant us good in this world and good in the life to come and
keep us safe from the torment of the Fire